The question of questioning the president is raised, Jan. 13, 1915

When presidents go before Congress, should they answer questions from senators and representatives?

The issue was raised on the House floor on this day in 1915 by Rep. Samuel Smith. The Michigan Republican, who had served in the House since 1897, asked Speaker James “Champ” Clark (D-Mo.): “When the president of the United States appears before Congress to deliver a message is it a proper form of procedure for a member or senator to ask him a question?” Smith, who had announced that he was serving his final term, noted that he had “many times been tempted to put a question to him when he has come before us.”

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Clark said there were precedents when a president while appearing before Congress had answered questions from members. But the speaker concluded “that the president would have the right to refuse to be interrogated, if he wanted to.”

Rep. Joseph Moore (R-Pa.) then asked if “a member should rise in his place while the president is addressing the House and should say, ‘Mr. Speaker,’ would that be in order?”

“Well, it might be in order,” Clark replied, “but it would be exercising wretched taste.” Amid general laughter, Rep. William Adamson (D-Ga.) added, “I think if either of the gentlemen ever attempted it, the same man would never attempt it the second time.”

President Woodrow Wilson had addressed Congress five times in 1913 and in 1914, but did not speak before Congress again in the wake of this interchange until December 1915.

While campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, Sen. John McCain of Arizona promised that, if elected, he would follow the British practice of “Question Time.” The prime minister responds to questions on Wednesdays for about 30 minutes. The parliamentary debate, which is televised, can be heated and take unpredictable turns.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE HOUSE HISTORIAN AND CLERK OF THE HOUSE OFFICE OF ART AND ARCHIVES